The study of sports is beginning to tell us more and more about the operation of labour markets and incentives. This column looks at football to verify that wages reflect marginal productivity. It shows that two-footedness – the rare ability to use both feet to pass, tackle, and shoot – commands a large wage premium.

Sports contests produce a vast wealth of statistics and data describing players’ performance that fans love to analyse. So why are the contests themselves decided by a very crude measure – win or lose? This column explains that the rank order tournament reward scheme provides the incentives that create the sports drama fans crave – contestants giving their best effort when the uncertain outcome is up for grabs.